Excavating machine



April 12, 1932. J. H. OBRIEN EXCAVATING MACHINE Filed May 10, 1930 5 Sheets-Shbet Q Q 673a INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY J. Hv OBRIEN April 12, 1932.

EXCAVATING MACHINE 3 Sheet s-Sheet 2 Filed May '10, 1930 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y MEL April 12, 1932. J. H. OBRIEN IEXCAVATING umcnnm 3Sheets-Sheet Filed May 10 1930 A TTORNEY I nomically mine clay and otherearthy min-" lme, 8-8, of Flgure 2.

Patented Apr. I2, 1932 I JOHN H. O'BRIEN, OFZOfiAGEQIWYOll/IINGExcAvArIive MACHEENE I Application filed. ay- 10, 1930., serial no,451,321.

My invention relates to excavating machines.

The objects of my invention are:

1. To, provide a machine which w1ll eco'-- 2. To provide an apparatuswhich will successfully operate upon clay and s milar earthy mineralscarrying a large moisture content; r

'3. To provide a machine which \Vlll mine moist clay and similar earthminerals, and grind, disintegrate or comminute the exca vated material;g l. To provide a machine whichwill mine moist clay and similar earthyminerals, and grind, disintegrate, 'comminute and dr-yout the excavatedmaterial; a 5. In a machine for mining moist clay, to

' provide means for conveying the clay to an elevator'and preventing thesticking of while being conveyed;

6. To provide a mining machine with a A cutter head movable bothhorizontally and vertically and laterally;

Y 7. To provide a mining machine for the purposes mentioned which canmove about under itsrown power; J r 8. To provide a mining machine wh chwill be capable of progressing and cutting both forwardly and laterally.I t 7 I attain these objects by the means illus-- trated in theaccompanying drawings, in which,

Figure l is a plan view of my machine, but having a portion of the pipe,38a, and bearing, 38?) omitted to prevent interferance' Figure 2 is alongitudinal section onthe line 22 of Figure 1';

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional detail of the driving mechanism forthe treads and the rear cutters on the line, 3-3, of Figure 1; V vFigure 4 is an enlargedsectional detail showing the jack-shaft and treaddrive on the line, 4-4, of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detailofthe squareshaft and slip joint on theline 5-5 of'F-ig- Figure 6 is an enlargeddetail'of the elevatmg screw VFigure '7 is an enlarged end view of the forward cutter; I

Figure 8 1s a cross-sectional view on the Similar numerals refer tosimilar parts throughout the several Views.

My apparatus comprises a main frame composed of longitudinal framemembers, fl, and cross-frame members, 4, suitably mounted upon the frontaxle, 2,-and rear axle, 3. Caterpillar treads, 1, are providedmountedupon wheels which in turn are revolvably mounted upon the axles, 2 and3,-inthe usual Rigidly secured to the main frame is a fixed circulartrack, 5, of iron or other suit.-

able material, and having an internal ring gear, 5a, united thereto. Arotatable frame, 7, is mounted upon the fixed circular track, 5, and isrevolvable thereon upon channeled traversing wheels, 6, which aremountedupon brackets, 6a, rigidly secured to the rotatable frame, 7. V

A tilting platform, 12, preferably compris ing framing' members withplanking suitably secured thereto, has its rear end pivotally mountedupon a pivot shaft, 13, which ex tends transversely ofthe rotatableframe near' the rear end thereof, with spacers, 13a, interposed upon theshaft, 13, between the side the tilting platform, 12. The Shaft, 13-,may be secured by nuts, 13?), or any other suitable means.

' The front end ofthe platform, 12, rests normally upon thefront'crossamembers of the rotatable frame, 7. A screw, 14, has itslower rame members of the rotatable frame, 7, and s internally threadedto correspond to the screw, l gand has a collar, 16a, rigidly securedthereto by a pin, 166, or other suitable means. A hand-wheel, 18, isrigidly secured to the top of the sleeve, 16, by a pin, 18, or othersuitable means, by means of which the sleeve, 16, may be rotated. As thesleeve, 16, rotates in one direction upon the screw, 14, it will carrythe front of the tilting platform upwardly away from the rotatableframe, 7, and as it is rotated in the other direction, it will lower thetilting platform, 12, until it rests upon the rotatable frame, 7.

As the front end of the tilting platform is raised by the sleeve, 16,and the screw, 1e, the screw, 14, can move upon its pivot, 14a, to allowthe tilting of the screw necesssary to compensate for the movement ofthe tilting platform, 12.

The front end of the tilting platform, 12, carries a ball bearing, 23,and a corresponding bearing, 24, is rigidly mounted upon the tiltingplatform, 12, somewhat to the rear of the elevating screw, 14.

Within these ball bearings, I mount a rotatable tube, 19, which issecured against longitudinal movement by collars, 23a and 24:65, unitedto the tube adjacent the ball bearings, 23 and 24.

At the rear of the tube, 19, I mount a gear, 26, which is rigidlysecured to the tube and adapted to be driven by a pinion, 27, mountedupon and clutched to a motor shaft, 29, by a throw-out clutch, 28, whichmotor shaft extends forwardly from the motor, 30, and may be mounted insuitable bearings of any desired type, secured to the tilting platform,12.

I thread the front end of the tube, 19, with threads, 22, and mountthereon a cutter collar, 21, to which spiral cuttting members, 20, aresecured by bolts, 21a. The cutting members, 20, have their advancingedges, 20, sharpened and inclined slightly outwardly.

The front ends of the spiral cutting members are reenforced and bracedby transverse cutters, 20a, which have semi-circular edges, 20b,extending slightly forwardly. The spiral cutters, 20, and the cutters,20a, are all united to a central shaft, 200, and the spiral members, 20,have their rear ends secured by bolts, 21a, to the collar, 21, so thatas the tube, 19, revolves, it carries with it the cutting member, 20 and20a.

Inside of the tube, 19, and rigidly secured thereto, I mount a spiralflange, 19a, which may be continuous or composed of successive andinterrupted flights.

A hot air blast pipe, 37, is mounted in the center of the tube, 19, thefront end of which is supported by the shaft, 200, the rear end of whichis secured in a suitable support, 38?), and is connected with a pipe,38a, to a dust bin, 38.

This dust bin, 38, is connected by suitable piping, 37, to a blower, 31,in which a fan is mounted upon the shaft, 32, driven by a belt, 34, andbelt wheel, 33, from a pulley, 35,- mounted upon the motor shaft, 29.

An air heater, 36, is mounted upon the rear' of the tilting platform,12, which may be heated by any suitable means, and an outlet pipe, 366,leads from the heater, 36, to the blower, 31. Dust material of anysuitable kind may be deposited in the dust bin and this material and thebin are arranged in such a way that the air passing therethrough willcarry a small quantity of dust as it passes through the hot air pipe,37, into the tube, 19, so that theclaypassing through the revolvingtube, 19, will not only be dried to some extent by the hot air, but willalso be coated to some extent by the dust and the inside of the tube,19, will likewise be coated by the dust so as to prevent sticking andclogging therein.

To the rear of and under the tube, 19, I mount a hopper, 7 4, uponsuitable supports, 74a, united to the fixed frame members, 4, whichhopper is adaptedto receive the clay as it comes from the tube, 19. Inthis hopper, I mount a series of baffles, 71. Inthe center of the hopperI provide a cutter shaft,

70, the upper end of which extends into a gear case, 69, and has rigidlymounted thereon a bevel gear, 68, which meshes with a correspondinggear, 67, mounted upon the front member of a universal joint, 66, whichin turn is united to a square sleeve, 65, which surrounds a squareshaft, 64:, and provides a slip joint therewith. The rear end of thesquare shaft, 64, is united to the front member of a universal oint, 63,and to the rear member of the universal joint, 63, is united a shaft,60a, which carries a bevel gear pinion 60, which in turn meshes with acorresponding pinion, 59, united to the jack-shaft, 43, and thejackshaft, 13, is. mounted in suitable bearings formed in supports, 44,secured to the tilting platform, 12, by bolts, 44a, or other suitablemeans.

A throw-out clutch, 62, is mounted upon the shaft, 60a. The lower end ofthe cutter shaft, 7 0, extends through the bottom plate of no thehopper, 74;, and into a gear case, 77, and has ri idly mounted thereon abevel gear, 75, which meshes with and drives a corresponding gear 7 6,mounted upon the spiral conveyor shaft, 79a, which is revolvably mountedin suitable bearings, 80 and 80a, united to the frame member, 4, in anysuitable manner. A spiral conveyor plate, 79, which may be continuous orof separate interrupted flights, is united to the conveyor shaft, 79a,within a tube, 78. An opening in the bottom ofthe hopper, 74, isprovided which leads into the front end of the tube, 78, and is adaptedto conduct the material from the hopper, 7 1, into the conveyor.

Upon the shaft, 70, I mount a spider, 73. which is rigidly secured tothe shaft, 7 O, and carries cutter blades, 72, adapted to-revolve withthe shaft, 70.

As the material passes into the hopper, 74,

. tube, 78. At the rear of the conveyor tube, I

mount an elevator housing, 81, having a belt elevator, 84, travelingtherein over rolls, 82 and 83, which are revolvably mounted in the.elevator housing, 81, and from which the in-- ished product may bedelivered to a wagon, bin or any other desired receptacle.

Brace rods, 85, to brace the elevator, are provided having their upperends connected to the elevator housing, 81, and their lower endssuitably connected to the main frame members, 4. The elevator is drivenby a drive or sprocket chain, 86, which passes over 7 a sprocket wheelmounted upon the shaft, 82'

of the roll 82, and is in turn driven by a pulley or sprocket wheel, 87,mounted upon the shaft, 87", of the motor, 87. The motor, 87,

is mounted upon a bracket, 88, united to the main frame, 4, and thecircular track, 5.

The caterpillar. treads are driven by the motor, 30, as follows: Themotor shaft, 29, extends to the rear of the motor and there carries abevel gear pinion, 41, which meshes with a corresponding pinion, 42,mounted upon the jack-shaft, 43, which is heretofore described asmounted in suitable supports, 44. The jack-shaft, 43, has rigidlymounted thereon a sprocket wheel, 45, (see fig. 4) which .rives a chain,47, and this chain passes over and drives a wheel, 46, having a hub, 46,

formed integral therewith and loosely mounted upon the shaft, 13, withclutch teeth, 46a, formed on the hub, 46, and with a sliding clutchmember, 49, mounted upon the shaft, 13, adjacent the hub, 46, withthrow-out lever, 50, pivotal-1y mounted upon a bracket 51, and having afork formed upon its lower end as shown in Figure 4, which embraces theclutch member, 49.

A bevel gear driving pinion, 53, is mounted upon the shaft, 13, withteeth, 53a, adapted to mesh with corresponding teeth formed upon theclutch member 49.

A corresponding bevel gear, 54, is mounted upon the upper end of theshaft, 55, in mesh with the gear,"53. A. gear housing, 54a, is providedto enclose the gears, 53 and 54. The lower end of the shaft, 55, ismounted in a suitable bearing mounted uponthe housing, 58, surroundingthe shaft, 3, and bears a bevel gear pinion, 56, which meshes with acorre? sponding bevel gear pinion, 57, which is rigidly secured to therotatable frame 7. Upon the upper end of the shaft, 10, I fashion ahand-wheel, 11, by which the same can be manually turned. y

In the operation ofmy machine, it can be driven up to the clay bank, 89,by starting the motor, 30, and throwing in the clutches, 40 and 49. Whenit has reached the desired position, the clutch, 49, may be thrown outand the clutches, 63 and 28, thrown into engagement. The clutch, 28,will cause the tube,-

- 19, and the cutters, 20, to revolve and the rotatable frame, 7 maythen be turned by the hand-wheel, 11, the shaft, 10, and gearingconnected thereto so as to carry the cutters through the are describedin Figure 1. As the clay is out in thin ribbons by these cuttersit iscarried backward by the spiral flights of the tube, 19, to the hopper, 74, in the meantime being dried out by the air blast and to some. extentcoated by the dust coming through the pipe, 37, and as it passes throughthis conveyor, it will be broken up by being. tossed around therein.After it passes into the hopper, 7 4, it will be still furthercomminuted by the cutters and bafiies andthe process will continue as itmoves through the spiral conveyor housing, '7 8, to the elevator. At thesame time that the motor is started, the blower, 31, is started by thebelt,34, so as to produce a blast of air through the heat er, 36, and tothe dust bin, 38.

When one horizontal out has been given through the bank, 89, the wheel,18, maybe turned and the tilting platform, 12,. raised. The cuttersthereby will be raised so as to bite into a new path through the claybank and thisprocess may be continued until all of the clay available toa single setting of the machine has been mined.

When desired," the cutter maybe started at one end of the arc, 90, shownin the bank, 89, in Figure 1 or if desired, the clutches to drive thecutters and the caterpillar treads may be operated simultaneously andthe cutter head driven directly into the bank; In such cases, thecutting edges and the front blades of the cutters will cut a circularopening right into the bank forthe full length of the head. .The treadsmay then be stopped and the cutter swung from side to side by thehand-wheel, 11, as heretoforedescribed. p

When the cutter has been in operation long enough for the clay tobQCRITlGCl' back to'the foot of the elevator, 81, the elevator motor,

7 87, should be started and the hopper wagon driven up to receive theclay as it passes from 1 the elevator.

In the machines heretofore used for mining clay and earthy minerals suchas bentonite, great diiiiculty has been experienced when the materialcontained 'a large percentage of moisture because of the tendency tostick and it has been found very difiiculttopulverize such moistmaterial by any of the 1 means commonly in use for that purpose;

My machine has not only the advantage of cutting the clay initially inthin shavings or ribbons which can be much more readily reduced thanmaterial mined in chunks, but provides means for dusting the materialand the conveyors with dry dust to prevent sticking and concurrent meansfor drying out the material as it passes through the conveyors. Thematerial will accordingly reach the discharge end of the machine in fineparticles from which a large percentage of the moisture content has beenremoved. It will therefore be very much more suitable for furtherreduction in ball or roller mills or such other machines as may be usedfor further pulverizing it.

Any suitable form of motor or engine may be used to drive the cutters,blower, spiral conveyor, elevator and caterpillar treads and a singlemotor or engine or a plurality of motors and engines may be used forthis purpose. So, also, any desired form of heater may be used forheating the air.

I do not limit my claims to any precise form of motor, heater, cuttersor conveyors, for it is obvious that many of these parts may be variedby the substitution of well-known equivalents without departing from thespirit of my invention.

When desired, serrated or indented cutting edges may be provided for thespiral cutters which will be well adapted for certain classes of work,but for such materials as the bentonite found in South Dakota, I preferto use the form of cutters illustrated, as being the best adapted tothat particular kind of material.

I claim:

1. An excavating machine comprising a fixed frame mouted upon suitablesupporting means, a circular track rigidly secured upon the fixed frame,a rotatable frame rotatably mounted upon the circular track, co-actingmeans united to the rotatable frame and to the circular trackrespectively adapted to revolve the rotatable frame upon said track, aplatform mounted on the rotatable frame, a plurality of bearings unitedto the platform, a tube revolvably mounted .in said bearings andextending forwardly therefrom, a cutter-head united to the front end ofthe tube, means mounted upon the platform adapted to rotate the tube andthe cutter-head carried thereby, a hopper secured frame and to thecircular track respectively to the platform, a tube revolvably mountedin said bearings and extending forwardly therefrom, a cutter-head unitedto the front end of the tube, means mounted upon the platform adapted torotate the tube and the cutter-head carried thereby, a hopper secured tothe fixed frame under the rear end of the tube, a plurality of bafflesand a revolving cutter mounted in the hopper, and a conveyor mountedupon the fixed frame adjacent the hopper and adapted to carry away thematerial from the hopper.

3. An excavating machine comprising a fixed frame mounted upon suitablesupporting means, a circular track rigidly secured upon the fixed frame,a rotatable frame rotatably mounted upon the circular track, coactingmeans united to the rotatable frame and to the circular trackrespectively adapted to revolve the rotatable frame upon said track, aplatform mounted on the rotatable frame, a plurality of bearings unitedto the platform, a tube revolvably mounted in said bearings andextending forwardly therefrom, a cutter-head united to the front end ofthe tube, means mounted upon the platform adapted to rotate the tube andthe cutter-head carried thereby, a hopper secured to the fixed frameunder the rear end of the tube, a plurality of baflles and a revolvingcutter mounted in the hopper and a spiral conveyor mounted upon thefixed frame adjacent the hopper and adapted to carry away the materialfrom the hopper.

4. An excavating machine comprising a fixed frame mounted upon suitablesupport ing means, a circular track rigidly secured upon the fixedframe, a rotatable frame rotatably mounted upon the circular track,coacting means united to the rotatable frame and to the circular trackrespectively adapted to revolve the rotatable frame upon said track, aplatform mounted on the rotatable frame, a plurality of bearings unitedto the platform, a tube revolvably mounted in said bearings andextending forwardly therefrom, a cutter-head united to the front end oftie tube, means mounted upon the platform adapted to rotate the tube andcutter-head carried thereby, a pipe secured centrally of thetube andhaving ports opening into the tube, a dust bin, a connecting pipe fromthe bin to the pipe in the tube, and means to blow dust from the binthrough the pipes and into the tube.

5. An excavating machine comprising a fixed frame mounted upon suitablesupporting means, a circular track rigidly secured upon the fixed frame,a rotatable frame rotatably mounted upon the circular track, co-actingmeans united to the rotatable frame and to the circular trackrespectively adapted to revolve the rotatable frame upon said track, aplatform mounted on the rotatable frame, a plurality of bearings unitedto the platform, a tube revolvably mounted in said bearings andextending forwardly therefrom,

acting means united to the rotatable frame and tothe circular trackrespectively adapted to revolve the rotatable frame upon said track, aplatform mounted on the rotatable frame, a plurality of bearings unitedto the platform, a tube revolvably mounted in said bearings andextending forwardly therefrom, a cutter-head unitedtothe front end ofthe tube, means mounted upon the platform adapted to rotate the tube andthe cutter-head carried thereby, a pipe secured centrally of the tubeand having ports opening into the tube, a dust bin, a-connecting pipefrom the bin to the pipe in the tube, an air heater mounted upontheplatform and means for conducting heated air therefrom to the dust binand thence into the pipes and tube.

7. An excavating machine comprising a fixed frame mounted upon suitablesupporting means, a circular track rigidly secured upon the fixed frame,a rotatable frame rotatably mounted upon the circular track, co actingmeans united to the rotatable frame,

and to the circular track respectively adapted to revolve the rotatableframe upon said track, a platform mounted on the rotatable frame, aplurality of bearings united to the platform, a tube revolvably mountedin said bearings and extending forwardly therefrom, a cutter-head unitedto the front end of the tube, means mountedupon the platform adapted torotatethe tube and the cutter-head carried thereby, a hopper secured tothe fixed frame under the rear end of the tube, a revolving cuttermounted in the hopper, a conveyor mounted upon the fixed frame adjacentthe hopper and adapted to carry away the material from the hopper, apipe secured centrally of the tube and having ports opening into thetube, a dust bin, a connect-1 ing pipe from the bin to the pipe in thetube,

and meansto bloW dust from the bin through the pipes and into the tube.V

8. An excavating machine comprising a fixed frame mounted upon suitablesupporting means, a circular track rigidly secured upon the fixed frame,a rotatable frame rotatably mounted upon the circular track,- coactingmeans united to the rotatable frame and toth e circular'trackrespectively adapted; to revolve the rotatable frame upon said track, aplatform mounted on the rotatable "frame, a plurality of bearings unitedtothe platform, a tube revolvablymountedin said bearings and extendingforwardly therefrom, :a cutter-head united to the front end vof thetube, means-mounted upon the platform-adapted to-rotate the tube and'thecutter-headcarried thereby, a hopper secured to the fixed frame underthe rearendyof the tube, arevolving-cutter mounted inthe' hopiper,aconveyor mounted upon the fixed frame adjacent the hopper and adaptedto carry away the material from-the hopper, an air heater. mounted uponthe platform and means for conductingheated air therfrom into the tube.

x 9.- An rexcavating' machine comprising a fixed 'frame mounte'rilv uponsuitable .supportk upon the fixed frame, a rotatable frame rotatablymounted upon the circular track, coacting'means united to therotatableframe and to the circular track respectivelyiadapte'd -to revolve therotatable frame uponv said track, a platform.mounted' on the rotatableframe, a plurality of bearings united to the platform,a tuberevolvablymounted in said (P bearings and extending forwardly therefrom, acutter-head unitedto the front end of the ing. means, a circular trackrigidly secured tube, means mounted upon the CplltfGI'Hl adaptedtorotate the tube and the, cutterhead carriedtherebya hopper secured tothe fixed frame vunder the rear end of the tube, a

revolving cutter mounted in the hopper,'and

a conveyor mounted upon the fixed frame.

adjacent 713118 hopper and adapted to carry away the material from 'thehopper, a pipe secured centrally of the tube and having ports openingintothe-tube, a dust bin, a connecting pipe from the bin to the pipe inthe tube, an air heater mounted uponv the platform and means forconducting heated air therefrom to the dustbin and thence into the'pipesand tube. Y lOgAn excavating; machine comprising a fixed frame mountedupon suitable supporting means, a circular track rigidly securedupon'the fixed frame, a rotatable frame rotatably mounted upon thecircular trackjcoe acting means united to the rotatable frame and to thecircular track respectively adapted to revolve therotatable frameuponsaid" track, a platform mounted on'the rotatable frame, a pluralityof bearings united tothe platform, a tube revolvably' mounted in saidbearings and extending forwardly therefrom, a cutter-head united tothefront end of i the tube, means mounted upon the platform adapted torotate the tube and the cutterhead carried thereby, a hopper secured-tothe fixed frame under the rear end of the tube,- a

plurality of baffles and a revolving cutter mounted in the hopper,aconveyor mounted upon the fixed frame adjacent the hopper and adapted tocarry away the material from the hopper and an elevator adapted toreceive and discharge at a height, the material carried from the hopperby the conveyor.

11. An excavating machine comprising a fixed frame mounted upon suitablesupporting means, a tiltable platform united to the fixed frame,bearings united to the platform, a conveyor tube revolvably mounted insaid bearings and extending forwardly therefrom, a rotary cutter unitedto the front end of the tube, and means mounted upon the platformadapted torotate the tube and the rotary cutter carried thereby.

12. The process of mining bentonite and earthy materials containing aconsiderable proportion of moisture, comprising cutting same from thebank in thin ribbons or shavings, conveying the cuttings through a tubeand subjecting them to a blast of hot air while passing through thetube.

13. The process of mining bentonite and earthy materials containing aconsiderable proportion of moisture, comprising cutting same from thebank in thin ribbons or shavings, conveying the cuttings through a tubeand subjecting them to a blast of hot air cairying dry dust, whilepassing through the tu e.

14:;An excavating machine comprising a fixed frame mounted upon suitablesupport ing means, a movable platform rotatably and tiltably mountedupon the fixed frame, a plurality of bearings united to the movableplatform, a conveyor tube revolvably mounted in said bearings andextending forwardly therefrom, a cutter-head united to the front end ofthe conveyor tube and adapted to excavate the desired material in thinribbons or shavings, means to rotate the tube and cutter-head and meansto subject the excavated material to the action of a blast of hot airwhile passing through the conveyor tube.

15. An excavating machine comprising a fixed frame mounted upon suitablesupporting means, a movable platform rotatably and tiltably mounted uponthe fixed frame, a plurality of bearings united to the movable platform, a conveyor tube revolvably mounted in said bearings and extendingforwardly therefrom, a cutter-head united to the front end of theconveyor tube and adapted 'to excavate the desired material in thinribbons or shavings, means to rotate the tube and cutterhead, means tosubject the excavated material to the action of ablast of hot air whilepassing through the conveyor tube, and auxiliary means for comminutingor pulverizing the excavated material after it leaves the conveyor tube.V

In testimony whereof he afiixes his signa ture.

JOHN H. OBRIEN.

